# Four-toed Salamander (*Hemidactylium scutatum*) The Four-toed Salamander is a small, cute amphibian that loves to live in damp places. It has a soft body and is usually gray or yellow with dark spots, making it look like a tiny, colorful creature! - **Category:** [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/amphibian) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Four-toed Salamander](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hemidactylium_scutatum_263501816.jpg&width=800) Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hemidactylium_scutatum_263501816.jpg) ## Appearance The Four-toed Salamander is a small amphibian with a reddish-brown back and grayish sides, sharply contrasting with its bright white belly that often has black spots. It gets its name from having only four toes on its hind feet, unlike most salamanders with five. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Amphibia - **Order:** Caudata - **Family:** Plethodontidae - **Genus:** Hemidactylium ## Interesting facts - Mothers guard their eggs for weeks by coiling around them! - These salamanders prefer to live in squishy, wet sphagnum moss! - They are tiny, often no bigger than your pinky finger! - They lay their eggs hidden under moss, logs, or leaves! ## Special abilities - **Tail Escape:** Four-toed Salamander can drop its tail if grabbed by a predator because it helps them escape and distract attackers. - **Skin Breath:** Four-toed Salamander breathes through its skin and lungs because it helps them absorb oxygen from damp environments. - **Moss Hide:** Four-toed Salamander has cryptic coloration that helps them blend perfectly into their mossy, leafy habitats to avoid predators. - **Egg Guardian:** Four-toed Salamander mothers guard their eggs for weeks because it helps protect them until they hatch into larvae. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 5-10 cm - **Weight:** 0.001-0.005 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 0.3 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 20-60 - **Metamorphosis:** 42-70 days ## Diet & Feeding They are tiny hunters, feasting on small insects and other invertebrates found in damp leaf litter. - **Primary Foods:** Springtails, Mites, Small beetles, Larval insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — A common predator that hunts them in their moist habitats. - **Eats:** Green Springtail (*Sminthurus viridis*) — Feeds on tiny springtails found hiding in leaf litter and moss. - **Depends on:** Flat-topped Sphagnum Moss (*Sphagnum fallax*) — Relies on dense sphagnum moss for shelter, moisture, and nesting sites. - **Eaten by:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Small shrews occasionally prey on them when foraging in the forest floor. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Hibernating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/hibernating): Hibernating animals enter a state of metabolic depression during cold periods or when food is scarce, characterized by reduced body temperature and activity. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching any animals, even friendly ones like salamanders! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Four-toed Salamander? Compare body shape, toes, markings, tail and skin texture. Tadpoles and larvae can look nothing like the adults they turn into. Amphibian Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Four-toed Salamander? 5-10 cm ### How much does Four-toed Salamander weigh? 0.001-0.005 kg ### How long does Four-toed Salamander live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Four-toed Salamander move? 0.3 km/h ### What does Four-toed Salamander eat? They are tiny hunters, feasting on small insects and other invertebrates found in damp leaf litter. ### Where is Four-toed Salamander usually found? Wetlands ### How does Four-toed Salamander hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Carriage Paths, Bridges and Gatehouses](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carriage-paths-bridges-and-gatehouses) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Lower Corner Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lower-corner-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Old Saybrook South Green](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-saybrook-south-green) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Four-toed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/four-toed-salamander) ## More Amphibians - [Eastern Red-backed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-red-backed-salamander) (*Plethodon cinereus*) - [California Slender Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-slender-salamander) (*Batrachoseps attenuatus*) - [Cuban Tree Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cuban-tree-frog) (*Osteopilus septentrionalis*) - [European Toad](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-toad) (*Bufo bufo*) --- Source: [Four-toed Salamander: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/four-toed-salamander)